Bulk liquids are traditionally transported in specialized tanker vessels. These ships are relatively few in number compared to dry cargo vessels and require specialized terminal facilities for discharging their cargo ashore for storage and further distribution. These bulk liquid terminals usually need a power source to pump the stored liquid out of the terminal.
Dry cargo vessels are generally configured to transport a plurality of containers of standardized sizes and shapes ("standardized cargo containers") which are described below.
The conversion of dry cargo vessels into liquid product carriers is desirable in order to increase the number of vessels able to carry bulk liquid products. Further, the use of multiple discrete liquid product containers to convert the dry cargo vessels is preferred in order to maximize the increased flexibility conversion offers in determining the portion of a vessels dry cargo capacity to convert into liquid cargo capacity.
In addition, many commonly transported and stored liquid products require certain safety features on their containers. Petroleum products, for example, require that pressures within a container be maintained within a certain range in order to prevent an explosion or an implosion. Also, an inert gas blanket must fill the ullage of the container in order to prevent an explosive gas mixture from developing. Oxygen-containing gases, such as air, must be excluded from any place in which petroleum fumes might gather in a dangerous quantity, therefore, a proper venting system is required. Fire-fighting or fire-prevention systems also may be needed.
Many locations have the ability to make liquid products from local raw materials, but currently lack a terminal facility or tank farm to store the manufactured liquid products pending the arrival of an appropriate carrier. Therefore, these locations export raw solid materials instead of manufactured liquid products, to their economic detriment.
Currently, a liquid products terminal facility or tank farm able to receive off-loaded bulk liquid cargo or to store bulk liquid cargo pending the arrival of a liquid products carrier must be constructed using traditional means encompassing much expense, pre-planning and a lengthy period of time.
The inventor is not aware of any container that can be used to convert all or part of a dry products carrier into a liquid products carrier and that can also be used as a transportable, prefabricated bulk liquid products terminal capable of rapidly creating a storage and dispensing facility for bulk liquid products even in remote and primitive areas or to be easily loaded and unloaded aboard a dry cargo vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,034 to Ata et al. discloses a portable liquid container which can be stacked up to three units high. When stacked, the containers can be connected in a manner permitting the upper tanks to drain into the lowest tank. Liquid is discharged solely by gravity through a valve located underneath the container which is connected by a pipe to a hole located in the lowest point of a floor which has four sloping triangular portions whose apices converge at the lowest point.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,973 to Wiese discloses a storage tank having a double-walled bottom which permits the insulation of the tank bottom, and a flanged discharge valve suitable for the double-walled bottom configuration for gravity discharge of the liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,328,080 to Hansen discloses a stationary storage tank located inside a housing designed to reduce condensation and with a hood or cowl located over the tank to facilitate the exit of fumes from the housing and to prevent moisture, dirt and other undesirable elements from entering the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,290 to Gerhard discloses the use of a trough in the interior of a tank to promote easy draining and cleaning of a liquid cargo tank that has a plurality of compartments.
The above containers are not specifically designed to serve as a dual purpose transportation container and terminal for storing and dispensing bulk liquid products, including flammable or other hazardous liquid products. None provide access for a person to enter the container, none has an active means of pumping the stored liquid out of the container, none has an active fire protection or control means attached, nor does any have a means for providing and maintaining an inert gas cover when necessary or required, or for venting the container other than directly into the atmosphere at the tank top.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,781,139 to Lohse discloses a detachable power unit comprising an internal combustion engine and an energy transducer for attachment to freight containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,605 to Lafont discloses a large plastic bag able to permit standard modular size demountable cargo containers to carry bulk liquid cargo instead of packaged cargo.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,588 to Exler discloses a ventilation system comprising walls and channels inside a "deepfreeze" container to maintain an even temperature and humidity throughout the interior of the container transporting standard dry cargo at a controlled temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,003 to Farrell et al. discloses a liquid products tank capable of transporting liquified gas at low temperatures in the hold of a ship using cables, keys and keyways to secure the tank so that changes in the size of the tank due to temperature extremes will not affect the ability of the ship to transport the tank. The tank is suspended within a thermal barrier so that it may carry cryogenic cargo without significant warming and without harmful contact with the ship's structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,067,713 to Meesen discloses a freighter for low-temperature liquified gas comprising tanks of light alloy metal mounted in a series of corrugated and beveled guides within the insulated hold of a ship to allow movement of the tank in all directions due to changes in tank dimensions brought about by temperature extremes of the liquified gas cargo to be carried in the tanks.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,115,984 to Henry et at. also discloses a tanker for carrying low-temperature liquified gas comprising at least one multiple compartment tank in an insulated hold specially constructed for use aboard the tanker.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,803 to Sylverest discloses a self-contained and self-powered sea terminal which floats on the surface of the sea designed to store and discharge liquids through pumps located onboard the terminal.
None of these references discloses the degree of transportability and features necessary to allow a container for flammable, explosive, hazardous, or non-hazardous liquid products both to be carried aboard a dry cargo vessel (thereby permitting its use as a liquid products carrier), and to be used as a prefabricated, transportable liquid products terminal facility for use in areas lacking needed terminal facilities. These features in a container allow the shipment of liquid products aboard a greater number of types of vessels and to a greater number of places.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a liquid products container that can be transported to a desired location lacking a liquid products terminal or tank farm (even to a remote location lacking an available electrical supply), and can serve as a prefabricated, self-contained terminal immediately able to store and dispense flammable, hazardous or explosive liquid cargo, as well as non-hazardous liquid cargo and some types of dry bulk cargo, such as cement.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a multiple-container liquid products terminal facility at a remote location without undue expense or unnecessary duplication of equipment by using a single active container in association with one or more passive containers, or by using one or more passive containers in association with some other external pump source or in a location and manner permitting gravity discharge of the containers' contents.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a liquid products terminal having a loading arm ("rack") for rapid and easy transfer of liquid from the terminal to trucks or tank cars.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a storage container for liquid products capable dispensing its liquid product immediately upon its arrival and filling at a desired location, even in a remote area.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a liquid products container that can carry many types of liquid cargo and be easily loaded onto and carried aboard a dry cargo vessel, thereby converting said vessel in whole or in part to a liquid products carrier and increasing the amount and type of transportation available to carry bulk liquid cargo.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide an economically efficient means for remote locations to store and dispense various amounts of bulk liquid cargo under necessary storage conditions pending the arrival of an appropriate carrier.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a method for increasing the number of vessels able to serve as an appropriate carrier for bulk liquid products or bulk flowable dry products.